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<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong><span lang="en">ANDERS NORD </span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="en"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPRKpgwKFME" target="_blank">TV programme about the below events (in Norwegian)</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="en">Who is this ? Yes, this is the name of the man who lived in the house that was completely intact and undamaged after the great fire that devastated the Norwegian city, Ålessund in 1904, while the vast majority of the approx. 1,100 houses, which then made up the city at that time, was laid in ashes. Here comes the story of the events that unfolded this tragic day in January 1904.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span lang="en">The house was one of that era plain wooden house, like all other houses in Ålesund. The proprietor of the house was called, Gunnar Walde. Therefore , the house is today called, "The Walde-house ". It is located in the town of Ålesund, where all the houses were laid in ashes. Only this one house survived - well not only survived, the house was completely intact and undamaged after the great fire, not even the paint on the woodwork had been seared!<br />
For this reason, the house was for many years turned upside down and subject to many scientific studies and many peculiar theories came to light at the time. However, there never came any rational explanation of the efforts.<br />
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In 1913 the house was preserved. The municipality made the decision to conserve the house, so anyone who so desire for posterity should be allowed to visit and see the house in Grensegata 2 in Alesund .<br />
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In February 1986, the Norwegian State TV, NRK transmitted, a documentary of the TV from the annual commemoration day in Ålesund. It was shown in the TV programme, " Tour Norway". The viewers were able to witness that human crowds visited this peculiar place at Fjellgata and Grensegata.<br />
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As the tour guide pointed to the Walde-house, he exclaimed to ridicule the story: "And here we see the house that God saved, because the man who lived there, would not move out ... "<br />
This broadcast made an elderly woman from Trondheim protest vehemently. Among other things, she told NRK and those who were responsible for the broadcast, to be ruthless and reckless when they talk about " the house that survived the great fire ." She also proved to be the right person to come up with such protests, since her mother was Anders Nord's daughter!<br />
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Klara Skjøstad is the name of this woman, who then is the grandson of Anders Nord. Since we wanted to visit her, we got Birger Forsmo to help us with this because he knew large parts of the West Country, and now in January 1993 we experienced as final the pleasure to chat with her at her home in Trondheim.<br />
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The interview with Klara Skjøstad was like talking to a teenager. She presented for us family photos and told us many strange occurrences from the great fire in 1904.<br />
" Grandfather ," said Clare , "was a man of faith of the heart. He was a man of faith and a man of prayer. His wife, Reginae, didn't have the same deep faith and relationship with God, because when the fire really began to grip, and grandfather said that the Lord had promised to protect them and the house, she was still terrified. She wore everything that had value outside to save it from the flames.<br />
Eventually, as the flames were right outside, grandmother and some neighbors tried to take Grandpa by force! But grandfather opposed and would not be out of the house.<br />
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He had received something special from God, if not such a peace and stubbornness had not been humanly possible, at least not in one such situation.<br />
The fire-ravaged the town of Ålesund for 16 hours that afternoon of 23 januar, 1904. After the flames had subsided and people could inspect the area and the city, it was only grandma and grandpa's house that was left intact and untouched. There was no sign of any fire at all, "says Klara Skjøstad.<br />
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Kristian Bugge, who has written " History of Ålesund" mentions this event on page 320 in his book with these words:<br />
" In a house in Grensegaten lived an old man who had asked God protect the house he inhabited, so that it did not burn. And he was so sure that God heard him, because he insisted on staying in the house. When the family and the others, who lived in the house, had not the same faith, they took him by force out of the house. But when the conflagration had died out and it came for a day, yes, it is remarkable that all the houses in this area had been swallowed by the flames and stood back in ashes, but this house was left alone, totally unscathed, and it still stands to this day, despite the fact that it was a wooden house, like all other houses in this town."<br />
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Harald Grytten, who has written and published the book "Alesund tells" tells from page 45 of a photograph, he mentions the following:<br />
"Another peculiarity of the picture is the house that is in front. This is the well known, Walde-house on the corner between Fjellgata and Grensegata, which was spared from the flames, while all other houses in the surrounding area was prey to the flames. It is said that one of those, who lived in this house, would not leave the house. He was so certain that the house would survive the fire. But his relatives, who were not equally strong in the faith, got very busy saving what could be saved. But they couldn't get the man out of the house, only his clothes and some of the house's contents. This they carried to the park, where everything was devoured by the flames. But the house stood through the fire, completely intact. "<br />
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The weird thing is that nobody has subsequently turned to Anders Nord even to ask him what happened and what he thought about it all. People in large parts of the West Country was very puzzled, but nobody took the step to make contact with Anders. It would have been so straightforward to ask the protagonist to make his comments on this.<br />
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Becaue Anders Nord behaved so very strangely and illogically during the great fire - as both his living relatives, and reliable historians confirm - so the public and private authorities should have contacted him and heard his explanation. Also they should seen to that no one representing the city, should get away with derogatory remarks about the place.<br />
As far as is known, there is no direct conversation with Anders Nord in secular contexts. However, ...</span><span lang="en"><i>knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! </i></span><br />
<span lang="en">Rome. 11.33<br />
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One day in September, 1913, Peter Relling walked in the area of Ålesund, where the nursing home was. For this reason that Peter was aware that Anders Nord now lived at this nursing home, he decided to visit him. It was a Sunday afternoon, and several others were also visiting him. Eventually, RELLING succeeded in getting through to a conversation with North and his wife alone.<br />
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" Well , you see, " said North , "the day before , 22 January at 1 pm., I was alone in the living room. As I looked up, I saw a big bright angel who stood in the middle of the floor. Obvioussssly, I was scared and frightened and spurged: " What is it, Lord? "<br />
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But he said: "Do not be afraid! I am sent by the Almighty God to tell you that this night, the whole city will be burned to ashes because of the many great sins that unfold here. But you have found favor with God - and you and your wife must not go out, and nothing of what you own, you must carry outside, for everything that is carried out, will be engulfed by flames. I will protect you, and no harm will befall you."<br />
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Then he continued : " Are you willing? "<br />
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I replied, "Yes , Lord."<br />
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Then he said, "Peace be with you."<br />
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Then he took off and disappeared.<br />
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When my wife later came in, and I told her, what had happened, she was entirely from herself, but she said nothing.<br />
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At around 2:15 at night water cannon roared while the weather changed dramatically to strong storm from the west. Sky and sea were in one. The moment I saw out the window I became aware of the fire in the distance. The fire divided itself in 14-15 different directions and at blazing speed it approached our town. My wife began carrying items out one by one, yes even the curtains. Eventually there was only an empty bed and a chair left. ( And all that she took outside, burned up )<br />
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About noon the flames hit us.<br />
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I opened the Bible and read Psalm 91, while flames and smoke enveloped the house. A moment later, I got up and looked out. So far as the eye could see I could only see glowing ash heaps, but inside our houe there was no warmer than it is today, "he added.<br />
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Thus Anders Nord told what he had seen and experienced before, during and after the great fire in 1904, according to the conversation that he had with Peter Relling in 1913.<br />
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The following year North passed away and came home to God, 79 years old.<br />
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Who was this, Relling ? Our source Forsmo, has recently spoken with people who remembered Relling. He was from Ålesund, lived alone and had a hair salon in town. He was a fierce believer and belonged to a church in the city.<br />
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This man God used to write down North 's testimony, 9 years after the great fire and just one year before his death.<br />
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After this testimony, we indeed marvel </span><span lang="en">that in one of our Norwegian towns, there is a strong proof of God's omnipotence, at Grensegata 2 in Alesund!<br />
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This revelation that North got from God is the only true explanation why Anders Nord was so calm throughout this dramatic events. If he had not received a divine promise, it had been impossible for a hale and healthy and responsible family man to react in this way! And North was a man full with dignity and integrity. This is what his living granddaughter, Klara Skjøstad confirms.<br />
We praise God for the reality that has now come for the day and our prayer is that this testimony will be a blessing and life of faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ!</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a name="en-NIV-21835"></a><i>So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. </i><br />
Daniel 3, 26-28</span></span></p>
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